In the last year alone, you’ve probably noticed the haircare industry bringing out more treatments targeting your scalp health — exfoliating scalp scrubs, micellar shampoos, detox sprays, and now, scalp massager brushes.

Scalp massagers do exactly what they sound like — they’re a handheld, brush-like device that you can use to stimulate and exfoliate the scalp. You’ve probably noticed them starting to pop up online (namely, TikTok). 

start using a scalp massager!! #hairtok

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But is using one actually better for your scalp health than a massage with your fingers? Short answer: yep, it can be! Healthy hair starts with your scalp, so if your scalp is littered with dead skin cells and product buildup, it makes it much harder for your hair to grow properly. 

Renée Meredith, who is Revlon Professional ’s National Education Manager, says that “regularly using a scalp brush when shampooing hair helps clean and unclog hair follicles on the scalp to allow hair to grow through healthy.”

The massaging motion alone is also said to help stimulate growth, as it promotes blood circulation in the hair follicle and can help to deliver more nutrients. So you really don’t have anything to lose by incorporating one into your routine. Plus, they feel so damn good! 

That said, if you’re someone who suffers from scalp irritation, dandruff or psoriasis, you might want to skip the scalp massage. Rubbing or scrubbing the scalp when it’s in that condition can further cause irritation, inflammation and swelling. Scalp brushes act more as a preventative in this instance than a treatment. 

Ahead, we’ve rounded up a range of affordable scalp massagers you can buy online and have delivered to your door. 

If moving your own arm to massage your head feels like too much work, this totally waterproof electric option could be for you. It comes with four different massage heads with 76 individual nodes that will have you feeling clean and zen post-scrub.

Buy the Renpho Electric Scalp Massager ($64.99 ) from Amazon here.

Unlike some of the other brushes, this one has little finger grooves so you can hold it comfortably while you massage your scalp.

Buy the Soaab Scalp Brush ($9.64) from Amazon here.

Both the pink and green versions of this little brush have soft but firm bristles to avoid any hair plucking while you massage your scalp.

Buy the Ezzimart Scalp Massager ($7.99) from Amazon here.

This scalp brush is suitable for all different hair types — short, long, wet, dry, straight, curly, thick, thin and everything in between.

Buy the Flokie Hair Scalp Massager ($8.99) from Amazon here.

The Kayzi shampoo brush gives your scalp a deep cleansing massage and improves overall hair health by stimulating blood flow in the scalp.

Buy the KAYZI Shampoo Brush ($8.95) from Amazon here.

We love an eco-friendly hero. This massager will do everything the rest of them do, but it’s made of eco-friendly wheat material, which is non-toxic, odourless and free of BPA and chemicals. Plus, the company that makes them is based in Brisbane.

Buy the BOWE & BOWE Scalp Massager ( $16.98) from Amazon here.

With a soft silicone head brush that is engineered to effectively scrub, cleanse and stimulate the scalp, this minimalist grooming tool will remove build-up, dirt and impurities on the scalp and facial hair (if you’ve got a beard or mo’ forming). It also has the potential to manage dandruff and promote hair follicle nourishment. Win-win, folks.

You can buy the Huxden Scalp Buffer ($29.95) from Huxden here.

According to Renée Meredith, you can even pair your scalp massaging techniques with a gentle cleanser — just make sure that it’s suitable to the type of scalp you have because, like skin, it can be different for everyone in the way some people experience dry and flaky scalps, whereas others might experience extreme oiliness. 

Some of our favourite scalp cleansers to pair with your brush are the De Lorenzo Tricho Scalp Balance Cleanser ($32.97) for normal to dry hair. The Ordinary also has a really great Moisturising Scalp Cleanser ($21.80) for scalp hydration. Revlon’s Eksperience Sebum Control Balancing Hair Cleanser is a better alternative if you experience super oily locks. 

Alternatively, if you’ve got more specialty issues like hair loss, Revlon also has a great Anti Hair Loss SOS Scalp Revitalising Lotion that strengthens your tresses. Sensitive scalps might also enjoy the gentle nourishment of Revlon’s Scalp Comfort SOS Calm Lotion.

Bree (aka @_breegrant) has been playing with beauty products since she was tall enough to reach her mothers makeup bag. She lives for testing out products before they hit shelves and has been known to put her body on the line for a sex toy review or two. (Someones gotta do it?!) When she’s not busy being the E-Commerce Editor at PEDESTRIAN.TV, and the Australian versions of VICE, Refinery29, Business Insider, Gizmodo, Lifehacker and Kotaku, she’s usually at the beach attempting to live out her Blue Crush dreams, shell necklace included.

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